Shesterkin's Firm Contract Stance with Rangers Could Lead to Trade – Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

The New York Rangers find themselves in a tough situation with star goaltender Igor Shesterkin. In the last 48 hours, several bombs have been dropped. He was found to have said, “You never know what might happen” about the interviews. Suddenly it was revealed that he was not willing to negotiate with the Rangers once the season started. Now, he reportedly wants to “reset the market” for NHL goaltenders.

Needless to say, no one is helping GM Chris Drury, who has reportedly already offered to pay Shesterkin more than any active goaltender and beat what Carey Price was making with the Montreal Canadiens.

The Guardians Are Not in a Good Situation Here

Shesterkin has solidified his place as one of the top scorers and is reportedly seeking a contract extension worth $12 million per season. According to Mollie Walker of The New York PostThe All-Star goaltender also made it clear he would not negotiate during the regular season, leaving the Rangers with limited time to get a deal done before facing the risk of entering free agency.

He has another year left on his current deal, but this is not something the Rangers want to hang the team on this season. This is especially true if Pierre LeBrun's report is accurate; that Shesterkin seems willing to draw a line in the sand and get his money, whether it's the Rangers or free agency.

This situation leaves the Rangers in a difficult position. If Shesterkin stands firm in his desire to “explode” the current salary, what kind of problem are the Rangers in?

The Rangers Will Have No Choice But To Pay Or Trade Him

Shesterkin's camp has made it clear that he sees himself as a top-quality, if not next-generation goaltender, who should set a new benchmark for goalie contracts. Comparisons to players like Connor Hellebuyck, Juuse Saros, and Ilya Sorokin — all elite hitters — aren't enough, LeBrun reported. Shesterkin is set to set a new mark when it comes to salary increase percentage in the NHL. He wants to change the way goalkeepers are paid across the league.

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Guardians know this will be very expensive. LeBrun revealed that the team reportedly offered Shesterkin more than Carey Price's $10.5 million contract with the Canadiens, but it wasn't enough. Now, with Shesterkin looking at $12 million, the team is forced to make some tough decisions. If they give him what he wants, they risk greatly reducing their cap flexibility. This is a problem given the number of key players the team needs to re-sign in the coming years.

What will the Guardians do?

Drury has several options, but none of them are ideal.

The first is to give Shesterkin what he wants, and probably within the next two weeks. One might say he is worth any money given how important he is to Rangers' success. It could mean the dominoes may fall in regards to Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafrenière, and Ryan Lindgren, but Shesterkin is the most important player on this team.

The second option is to wait. The risk here is that Shesterkin decides to test free agency on July 1 and the sounds of recent reports, since he likes New York, the goalkeeper is not afraid to do so.

Finally, there is the option to seek trade. The team will definitely pay what Shesterkin wants, he's that good. The Rangers know that without him, their team is not nearly as competitive. He masks many of their defensive inefficiencies and any other forward in his position could knock them out of the Stanley Cup contender conversation. Still, you can't let him go for nothing.

Would the Rangers Really Consider a Shesterkin Trade?

It seems unlikely that the Rangers are considering a deal that would send Shesterkin elsewhere. But, if they aren't willing to meet his asking price, the prospect of him entering unrestricted free agency is a real threat. He has a 10-team buyout clause, so a bidding war before the deadline could make the Rangers a big deal.

Unfortunately, the team may have to decide in the next two weeks. If no deal is reached before the Oct. 9 deadline set by Shesterkin's camp, the goaltender could walk away from negotiations. This uncertainty will cast a shadow over Rangers' 2024-25 campaign.

And, if the Rangers struggle early, who knows what a regular franchise might start thinking.